The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday said it would not rush to react to Saturday’s Kogi gubernatorial election, declared inconclusive by INEC, until it gets the facts. The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, stated this in in Abuja, shortly after the election was declared inconclusive. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared the polls inconclusive after the margin in the votes scored by All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, late Abubakar Audu and the runner up, Governor Idris Wada of the PDP, was less than the total number of registered voters in the polling units where…
Author: Wale Adebayo
The Nigerian Police Force has deployed its Bomb Detection Unit to help beef up security at various airports in the country ahead of the forthcoming Christmas celebration. A statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by Yakubu Dati, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, said the deployment was part of the security and safety measures. It said that the deployment of the police bomb detection unit to the airports was to complement the effort of FAAN’s security personnel at various security screening points to ensure a hitch-free celebration. The statement quoted Mr. Dati as saying that…
The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Saturday’s Governorship election in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu has been confirmed dead. News of Abubakar’s death filtered in following the announcement of election results believed in many quarters to have been won by him judging from preliminary results. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through the Returning Officer, Professor Emmanuel Kucha, declared the Kogi State governorship election inconclusive. Kucha had said INEC’s decision was reached after collation of results showed a number of cancelled votes — 49,953 — that was higher than the margin between the leading candidate…
An All Progressives Congress (APC) member of the House of Representatives from Ondo State, Afe Olowookere, has appealed to the state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, to complete the Owena multipurpose Dam located at Igbara-Oke in Ifedore local government before the end of his tenure. The lawmaker, who made the plea while inaugurating a motorised borehole project at Igbalaye community, off Oke-Aro in Akure, said the Dam, when completed, would serve all the six local governments in the central senatorial district of the state. Olowookere expressed dismay that the project which was conceived under the administration of late Governor Olusegun Agagu, has…
As the collation of results of the Kogi State governorship election continues at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, headquarters in Lokoja, the state capital on Sunday, we can confirm that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, is in an early lead. Out of a total of 21 local government areas in Kogi State where the results have been collated and officially declared by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Haliru Kpa, Audu won 16, while Wada won in just five local government areas. The LGs won by Audu are as follows: Kogi-Kotonkarfe, Adavi, Ajaoukta, Okehi, Ijumu, Yagba West,…
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has called on Muslims wherever they are to expose bad elements among them, saying terrorism has no place in Islam. The Sultan also urged Muslims to educate their children to prevent the young ones from being recruited into terrorism and insurgency. Sultan Abubakar spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Saturday at the investiture of the Grand Imam of Ekiti, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere Bello, as President General of the League of Imams and Alfas in South-West, Edo and Delta…
With the total numbers of votes cast in Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State counted, collated and declared, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, has emerged winner of the keenly fought contest. To emerge winner, the APC candidate had to pay the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the same coin it paid him about 13 years ago, when the party denied him a second term. Audu defeated the PDP candidate, incumbent Governor Idris by 240, 867 votes to 199, 514. The difference between the votes is 41, 353 in favour of Mr. Audu. As earlier reported, the…
Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has warned those mistaking his silence for weakness to have a rethink as he would no longer tolerate attempts to undermine his government. Bello, who spoke yesterday while swearing in caretaker-committee chairmen for the twenty five local government councils in the state, said that anything that will cause public disturbances in the state will not be tolerated. He, therefore, vowed to bring to book, any political group or individuals that causes public disturbances in the state when things do not go their way. “We have been silent and considerate to the point that we…
Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Saturday denied reports that he said the federal government will write off the bailout fund extended to some states of the federation. “I was quoted out of context. I never said the federal government was going to write off the bailout fund”, the governor said. A statement issued by his media aide, Adejuwon Soyinka said, “Contrary to reports in some sections of the media, at no point during the opening session of the state Treasury Board meeting for the year 2016 budget held on Friday, November 20, did the governor categorically state that the…
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday told pro-Biafra protesters that he will no compromise on Nigeria’s unity. “The corporate existence of Nigeria as a single entity is not a subject of debate and will not be compromised,” Buhari affirmed in a message to the investiture of leading traditional ruler in the Southeast and Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe as the 7th Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. The message was delivered by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Onwuka, who himself is from the Southeast. “The country is currently facing challenges of insurgency and other forms…
The candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer in the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State, Chef Timipre Sylva appears to have split Traditional Rulers and Elders of the state as they set aside political pressures to endorse Sylva. The decision to endorse the APC candidate was taken by the Elders and Traditional Rulers, under the aegis of the Bayelsa Elders Council, after an exhaustive interactive session presided over by Chairman of the Council, Chief Francis Doukpoula and the Amanayabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diette-Spiff. Also at the meeting were first-class traditional rulers, including the Ebidawei…
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that the country was entering into its glorious era despite the insecurity and economic challenges it currently faces. The President, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, stated this at the graduation of Senior Executive Course 37 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) in Kuru, Jos. He promised that Boko Haram and other such insurgent groups around the country would soon become history. The President charged the institute to conduct comprehensive study on causes of insurgency and how to build civil capacity to defeat mindless violence. “I want the…
The labour movement in Ekiti State has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to fight the cabals causing persistent oil scarcity in the country. Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, labour, under the auspices of Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), said what Buhari promised Nigerians was a new lease of life. Sadly, for the past one month fuel scarcity has begun to erode people’s confidence in the administration. The JNC Secretary in Ekiti, Comrade Ayodeji Oladele urged the Nigerian leader to muster the political will to be able to deal with the cabals in the oil sector bringing unnecessary hardship…
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, at the weekend advised that there must be somebody who can talk to Boko Haram militants. He noted that only military strategy cannot end the crisis. Speaking in Abuja at the 2015 Catholic Television of Nigeria (CTV) dinner with the cardinal said: “I noticed that since we have been taking security very seriously live has been made extremely difficult for everybody.” He, therefore, urged Nigerians to continue praying for possible solution, saying God can do all things. “What happened in Mali can happen here. We do not need people to cause this…
President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria have joined other peace-loving nations of the world in condemning Friday’s dastardly terrorist attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, President Buhari assured “President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and the people of Mali of the full support and solidarity of the Federal Government and people of Nigeria as they mourn those who lost their lives in the attack and strive to bring the surviving perpetrators to justice”. The statement added, “The President also extends heartfelt condolences to the governments and people of…
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Saturday, assured that its ongoing strike mission in Sambisa forest would not affect civilian targets. Isiaka Amao, Air Component Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, gave this assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri. Mr. Amao, an Air Commodore, explained that the air force conducted series of intelligence gathering on the area before embarking on the mission. According to him, the force was on a mission to wipe out Boko Haram terrorists from their Sambisa forest hideout. “We are also aware that the terrorists usually keep abducted women and children…
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Friday pledged to leverage the power of his ministry to drive the change mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration with a view to ensuring that Nigerians take ownership of the change agenda. Mr. Mohammed stated during his meeting with the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Mike Omeri and the agency’s zonal directors at the Radio House in Abuja. According to the minister, the NOA was very important and critical to the actualization of the change mantra of the Buhari administration and will shoulder the bulk of the responsibility…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has described the recent compulsory retirement of 14 Permanent Secretaries in the state’s civil service by Governor Nyesom Wike as a “vindictive act”. In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, the party alleged that the action was aimed at punishing people, relations or spouses of those perceived to have worked for the immediate past Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi administration or sympathetic to the APC. “The APC considers the sudden retirement of these exemplary senior civil servants as a vindictive act by Governor Nyesom Wike. “Whereas these individuals toiled to keep…
The Federal Government on Saturday in Abuja, charged the newly appointed permanent secretaries to shun corrupt tendencies and offer sound, impartial, and technical advice to ministers. Winifred Oyo-Ita, the acting Head of Service of the Federation (HOS), gave the charge at a one-day retreat organised for the permanent secretaries at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja. The retreat, which has the theme, “The Change Agenda; Precept to Practice, Role of Permanent Secretaries”, was organised by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation. “Permanent Secretary is a top post in the administrative hierarchy. “Your appointment confers on you…
Sapele traders and Widows on Friday took to the streets in peaceful protest against Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, over the state government order revoking stalls allotted to them by the last administration in the state. The women, who condemned the government’s decision, claimed that they were allotted the stalls after they made full payment for them and completed all necessary formalities for ownership. The placard-wielding protesters, who were led by Mrs Cecelia Eregare and Mr. Happy Atsegor, said, “It is wickedness for the governor that was voted into power by the people to turn around and throw us into…